ABOUT OUR CLASS
We are a grade 6/7 class in a district school in Tasmania, Australia. We are learning a lot about Web2.0 tools and how to use them as part of our normal classroom routine. We have four PCs in our room but also have access to a lab for a minimum of two hours each week. We are linked to a Smartboard using the teacher’s laptop. Most of us have our own blog and others are using a class blog instead.
Before we got our blogs, we had to show we were internet savvy and knew how to blog safely by commenting on the class blog and other blogs which Miss W. had organized with other teachers around the world. We also took part in a four week program on internet safety using the Cyberquoll website set up by the Australian Government.
The first group of students to earn their blogs were taught the basic skills as an administrator and then they had to mentor the next group of students with their blogs. We are all administrators of our own blogs and Miss W. is our co-administrator.
We hope you enjoy visiting our class blog and chatting with us, through comments. You can find all our grade 6/7 blogs at this blog.
PS Miss W. runs these student blogging challenges in March and September, so we get lots of visitors to our class blog.
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September 24, 2008 @ 12:38 pm
Your classroom sounds like phenomenal. I like the idea of having the students prove to be internet savvy before getting their own blog. I have a class of 22 students for one 42 minute period each day in which we work on language arts (mainly writing) and I am trying to incorporate Web 2.0 tools with them. We have started with a wikispace and a blog that I created for them to work with. But there is never enough time to do all we want to do.
I look forward to learning more about what you are doing. Thanks for sharing! Mrs. M.
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September 25, 2008 @ 6:35 am
Hello Miss W,
Your classroom seems very interesting. I like how the students had to work up and show you that they could handle the blogs. My classroom thsi year sounds very interesting to yours. Hope all is well.
John
stubc08
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October 26, 2008 @ 5:32 pm
Hi there,
I teach 1 grade 7 class and 2 grade 8 classes this year and all of my kids are eager to connect with other students worldwide. Wondering if your students would like to visit mine and perhaps colloborate somehow down the road?
Take care.
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October 27, 2008 @ 2:03 pm
This is a great looking class blog, and the way you have set your students up for success by front-loading the safety issues is really wonderful. Keep up the great work, and thanks for the inspiration.
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November 11, 2008 @ 5:35 am
I have two 6th grade classes who are learning to blog and I will be pointing them in your direction. Keep up the good work!
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January 23, 2009 @ 4:43 pm
Have bookmarked this blog and will point teachers to it regularly! Keep up the good work!
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February 21, 2009 @ 7:46 am
Hello Tasmania!
We are Room 18, at Balmoral School, Auckland, New Zealand.
We posted to you last year, but we wanted to let you know we have just started a new blog at blogspot and would love to chat with you.
We have added you to our blog list and hope you can add us too.
We are really looking forward to hearing from you again soon.
Room 18.
http://room18space.blogspot.com/
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March 1, 2009 @ 9:43 am
[...] not say. Here are some examples of students and teachers who have already introduced themselves and their classblogs to their readers. This teacher has put a lot of work into introducing his class and the role of [...]
March 4, 2009 @ 5:43 am
[...] Here are some examples of students and teachers who have already introduced themselves and their classblogs to their readers. This teacher has put a lot of work into introducing his class and the role of [...]
March 18, 2009 @ 8:19 pm
Hi everyone (and Miss W. ).My name is Ekin and I’m from Turkey-Mrs.Cimen’s blog.
I really liked your blog there usefull posts in it
I just want to ask that,how did you find out blog?
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March 18, 2009 @ 8:34 pm
Hi, I am Aybike from Turkey Ted İstanbul College. When my teacher came and told me that other people found our blog I felt excited so I decided to write comment to the blogs which wrote comments to our blog. About the blog; it is really really great. You have done a great job. PS: We would be happy(as 6th graders) if you tell your students to comment to our blog. Thanks from now. =)
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May 11, 2009 @ 7:09 am
Hello there
This is Fiona Beal from Cape town (specifically Fish Hoek which is a part of Cape Town) South Africa. We have been looking at and enjoying your blog. I am the computer teacher at Fish Hoek Primary and I have done a Senior Citizens/Grandparents project with one of my Gr 4/5 classes. I wondered if your students could write in the class individual blogs and tell us something about their grandparents. We would love the connection and information.
Please view our blog at
http://fionabeal.edublogs.org
Bye for now and many thanks
Fiona Beal
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May 14, 2009 @ 4:16 am
Hi everyone!
I’m Christina and I am in the 7th grade. I live in Lansing, MI. Your blog is cool. It looks like a lot of people visit your blog!
http://www.moorehayeschristina.edublogs.org
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September 7, 2009 @ 8:17 am
how do we put our avater on our comments.
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September 7, 2009 @ 8:18 am
how do we put our avater next to our comments.
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September 23, 2009 @ 10:14 pm
Hi there! I would really love my grade 5/6 class from Kallista in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges to be involved in the blog challenge in term 4 – we were a little late for September as we were putting on our School Production at that time.
Would it be OK to complete the challenges in October as a way of increasing our blogging skills?
I have been really impressed with your class’s blogging prowess, and know my students would love to get involved with another class. Keep up the great work!
Cheers, Sam from Kallista PS
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September 28, 2009 @ 11:00 am
I just wanted to extend a “hello!” We are participating in the challenge. I have to tell you were are so excited, well most of them anyway! It’s been a journey in studying a new type of writing. Question on grading for you – how do you assess commenting? I see my students are commenting right and left, several times a week. How can I give them kudos or encouragement for comments?
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October 4, 2009 @ 1:43 pm
Hello classroom bloggers!
We are a Grade 5 class from Hong Kong and we’re called the 5E Eagles. We’ve just created a links section on our Grade 5 class blog called “Our Global Community”
We’re writing you today because we like your blog(s) and so we’ve added you to our Global Community list. We’ve either found you through Twitter, The EduBlog Challenge or because you’re already a contact of Ms. Cahusac.
Come and check us out or look at some of the other classes which are listed.
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October 11, 2009 @ 5:28 am
Hello Miss Wyatt
Being a comment helper has shown me a variety of blogs. It seems that there are blogs which are done as a chore and others that are enjoyable for the students. What has been enlightening to me is the range. Many are more like text messages. Students don’t even proof read their own work let alone develop and idea and make it interesting for the reader. These can be 2 sentences long. Others may answer a list of questions tersely and without any interest on their own part. So, how am I supposed to be interested? Then there are the bloggers with serious teachers looking over their shoulders to make sure every word is exact, that they don’t reveal anything about themselves. A few of the students speak with a “voice.” Their messages are compelling because they have genuine interest. These are the bloggers I will keep in my Reader. I’ll do my part in offering positive comments but sometimes I have little quality material to work with.
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Miss W. Reply:
October 11th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Hi Gail,
Yes I worry about that a lot as well. It very much depends upon the blog knowledge of the teacher and what they expect from the students. Many of these students and teachers are blogging for the first time in September this year and maybe the teachers have not been using a personal blog first, so they can see how they have to lead their students to using a blog effectively.
I’ve also noticed that even though some students have registered for the challenge, they are not doing the actual challenges so I will have to think about how to weed out those students perhaps next time and only have the keen students, but is that then defeating the purpose of the blogging challenge.
I will be asking at the end of the challenge for teachers to recommend a couple of student s from their classes who they think have become effective bloggers and I will be adding them to the blogroll for a month or so.
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Gail P Reply:
October 11th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Thanks for the reply Miss W. The commenting challenge has been helpful to me as a teacher and as a blogger. Since I had a clear purpose for starting my blog and had some tremendous mentor types (like Sue Waters, dogtrax, and the whole edublogs network) I have been more comfortable in my development. Some day these young bloggers may have their own PLNs to share and learn from as I do. In the meantime doing high quality posting on a regular basis will help them to work with many of the tools that make blogging fun for both sides of the conversation.
Thanks again for the reply. See… that’s what makes you and your blog the BEST!
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Jessica B Reply:
October 11th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Gail,
Try to remember that not all of these students see themselves as writers. Some are apprehensive about knowing that everyone can see their work. Some still can’t believe others are actually reading them. Last week I explained to my students (again) that spelling is essential to not only to earn the A, but also to help foster good discussion. Adding the Clustr map helped as they’re now seeing dots fill up on their map. I don’t think they believed me that this was really a global project. Give it time – Just like with all other projects, growth can be slow or not measurable to everyone. On my end though I’m seeing improvement.
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October 20, 2009 @ 8:48 am
Dear Miss W and All,
I noticed all of the great math links you have on your blog and so wanted to introduce you to a great site you may want to include with the other links.
The site is MangaHigh.com, which has the most sophisticated math games yet seen on the Internet and is built around the UK national curriculum. Students, teachers and anyone who likes good games will enjoy playing Pyramid Panic (geometry) and Flower Power (fractions ordering). This site is even endorsed by well-known mathematician Marcus du Sautoy. Prodigi, the adaptive learning system coaches students with Easy, Medium, Hard and Extreme worked examples with full hints and solutions
Below is some text we use to outline the site, to give you a better idea of its unique features.
I am looking forward to hearing from you,
Ila
*****************************************************
MangaHigh.com has maths games…finally a fun path to exam success
MangaHigh.com is an effective games-based learning environment that is built around the UK’s national curriculum and prepares students for exam success
*Unique, scientifically-designed and 100% FREE maths games put the fun back into mathematics educatio
*Prodigi, the adaptive learning system that coaches students with Easy, Medium, Hard and Extreme worked examples with full hints and solutions
*Individually tailored education and revision programmes help fulfill students potential
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Miss W. Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Thanks Ila.
I had a look and played the games about the pyramid and flowers. They were interesting. I even found the pyramid one a bit difficult to start with. I will add the link to our blogroll and see if the students also like the games.
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Ila Reply:
November 5th, 2009 at 6:37 am
Great to hear!
I likewise am challenged by some of the games! Especially after passing through a few levels! I look forward to hearing how the students find the games.
All the best,
Ila
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November 2, 2009 @ 8:34 pm
Hi miss W,
I Like your avatar could you please leave a comment on my blog and tell me how to get one.
http://www.ryan3c.blogspot.com
Ryan L,
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